Our Picnic in the Park and a CBP Construction Update

Yesterday, we gathered on a beautiful afternoon in Cedar Beach Parkway for a picnic, some Frisbee and a walk through the construction in the Gardens.




Here, Sean lounges and sips his root beer:

Walking through the Gardens, I can offer a little construction update. The trenches are completely dug through the Rose Garden. Guiseppe is working fast on the completion of his columns and in the Old Fashioned Garden, they have leveled out the ground around the path and it looks even better than it did. The Garden should look great next summer.





I want to thank everyone for coming out yesterday. I was glad to be able to have a positive discussion about the construction and it was a genuinely good time. A special thanks goes to the folks who made the long drive from points south to come out, thanks Jos, Mike and Dani.

For the record, I award the frisbee MVP to my friend Will. He flailed around like a fish out of water and ate grass more than once while trying to make catches. It was a sight.

Thanks again if you made it out. I hope to see everyone again, next time.

The Lost Park Log: Lehigh Parkway Part 4

While I was writing Beyond Berg: Top 5 Allentown Parks, I realized that despite doing three separate parks logs in May on the Lehigh Parkway I had never done one for what I called Hike #2.

Just as I had written I began my walk at the Robin Hood Bridge and turned to the left.

There is a no-mow zone and Riparian Buffer area here that has been developed over the summer.



This path is nearly creekside for the majority of it and provides some spectacular views of the Little Lehigh Creek.




In the winter, this hill is one of the best sledding spots in Allentown:

Heading towards the new pedestrian bridge, with thunder in the distance

I recalled visiting here in June to discover piles of hail and a strangely winter-like scene. With that in mind, looking at the trees, things aren’t quite as green as they were a few weeks ago. Sunset is coming earlier every day.

When I began writing this blog, it was late spring. As I delved deeper into the Allentown park system and ultimately into many parks and nature reserves in the Valley, spring quickly became summer and with each subsequent posting you could see summer thicken, and explode into the deep green season that is now slowly waning.

Summer is passing and walking along the trail in the Parkway, I couldn’t help but crack a smile. For as grateful as I am to this particular summer for the wonderful experiences I have had; autumn is my favorite season and here in the Parkway I could almost sense it waiting, holding its breath, preparing to make its move.

Walking back towards Robin Hood, the trail is very different. Rows of trees frame the walkway as it snakes its way along the creek.

Everything is about to change. The long season of growth will end in a few weeks. You can tell its coming. The more time you spend outside the greater the little changes in the wildlife become. Over the last few weeks more leaves have been scattered on pathways, more acorns have fallen. It is wonderful watching it happen.

Night was coming fast, but not as fast as the thunderstorm heading in my direction. As I completed my loop I took a long look at the swollen creek rushing under the open grate bridge. The brown water seemed to echo the feeling in the Parkway this evening.

There is still some life in summer, don’t worry. The thunderstorm that was about to soak the ground was a sure reminder of it. Leaving the park that night I must confess a slight sadness. For as much as I hate the heat of summer, for the first time in my life I will miss it when it passes. You see, these park logs have made me look at things in all kinds of different ways and here at the Parkway, I am grateful.

So much is out there, right here, in Allentown and in the Lehigh Valley. There is so much to see. If anything, my walk for this lost park log was just a reminder of all the walks to come and how much I look forward to them. Savor the last of summer readers.

Just keep an eye out for autumn.

See Also:
Lehigh Parkway Part One
Lehigh Parkway Part Two
Lehigh Parkway Part Three

Tomorrow: Picnic in the Park!

Don't forget to come out to Cedar Beach Parkway at noon tomorrow for a picnic.

Everyone is bringing their own food, drink and blanket.

It should be a very good time. I just went down there and checked to see if it was too muddy and we should be golden. We will meet in the parking lot behind the Parks and Recreation office at 3000 Parkway Boulevard. It will be a great chance for a discussion about our parks and the planned renovations.

Any questions, please leave a comment or send me an email.

See you tomorrow!

Flooded Ponds at Cedar Beach Parkway

Following heavy rainfall this morning the Cedar Creek at Cedar Beach overflowed its banks and in turn flooded the ponds by the Rose Gardens.




With this flood event, whatever was in the ponds was rapidly spilled into Cedar Creek. The gravel on the paths as well as the gravel pile by the large reflecting pond were in the path of flood waters as well, which means that gravel was being carried into the creek. The Riparian Buffer that was recently mowed down was under water and it is to my understanding that that buffer was put in place to help prevent pond water from getting into Cedar Creek.

So, is this not an environmental mess? Like I have said before I am not an Environmental Scientist (yet) nor am I an expert in hydrology but the situation I saw at Cedar Beach early this afternoon seems to me to be a problem. I want to see as much environmental restoration as possible in our city parks and am looking forward to the major Riparian installation taking place this fall.

That said, in order to keep Cedar Creek as environmentally hospitable as possible, does something need to be done to correct the sort of situation I saw there today? I realize that at this point with upstream development and storm water drainage etc, at best these types of flooding events can be affected at a low level.

I ask my readers who know the answers to my question to please respond. The more I learn about the watershed around here the more it becomes a worry to me. A few token Riparian projects can not be the sort of solution that allows people to sit back and say, hey we did something. We need to be doing everything we can to make sure our watershed is protected and if that means sacrificing some of the things that we take for granted in our parks, so be it.

We are stewards after all, not creators.

Beyond Berg: Top 5 Allentown Parks to visit

Today is moving in day at Muhlenberg College and in honor of all the students returning to Allentown in pursuit of higher education I offer a top five list of Allentown Park destinations to check out during the fall semester. As a life long “townie” and now as a Muhlenberg College student myself, I will tell you that with the expense of a little gas or spent footsteps, these locations will provide a respite for any student or anyone. Take a chance, take a walk. There is a world out there constantly begging to be discovered and rediscovered.


1. The Lehigh Parkway

The experiences that are possible at the Parkway are limitless. It is a place for joggers, disc golfers, hikers, naturalists and fly fishers alike. There are many places inside the parkway that are worth checking out. There is a fish hatchery, a bait shop, a museum of Native American culture and scattered throughout the park are old limekilns; ghosts of a proposed railway that went up in the bust in the 1850’s.

I recommend four individual hikes, although they can be combined or done all at the same time.

1. Hike One
Park in the lot that is down from the main entrance and across the little open grate bridge; the parking lot is easy to notice just behind the large stone walls that frame the entranceway. Head towards the paved path that leads into the more heavily wooded area. A few feet into this path head up the trail into the forest itself. It is a short but moderate trail hike that provides great views and excellent opportunities to encounter wildlife. The trail will end back on the main paved trail, which after crossing Scrieber’s bridge, will lead you back to the parking lot. Look out for the lime kilns along this path.

2. Hike Two
Starting in the same parking lot, head across the bridge and onto the creekside path. Follow on that path and cross the pedestrian bridge. Turn back and follow the path on the other side of the creek back to the parking lot. This hike offers the best views of the Little Lehigh Creek.

3. Hike Three
This time start at Bogart’s Bridge. (it is the red covered bridge off of 24th street) Head along the paved trail to the right of the bridge. This path offers great woodland experiences and is part of a planet walk that simulates the distances of the planets in our solar system. Once you reach the pedestrian bridge, cross, turn left and the path will eventually take you through Bogart’s Bridge and back to the parking lot. You can see the Allentown Police Academy on this hike.

4. Hike Four
This may be the longest hike of the four. Start at Bogart’s Bridge and follow the trail to the left. You will pass underneath the vaulted ceiling of the route 78 bridge. Keep walking past the Little Lehigh Fly Shop and you will reach the Fish Hatchery which is worth a visit on it’s on. Follow the same trail back, cross the bridge and you will again reach Bogart’s Bridge. Cross it and you will be back in the Parking Lot.

View From Muhlenberg to the Parkway in a larger map
2. Trexler park

A few blocks from campus lies Trexler Park. At one time, this was the estate of General Trexler himself. Upon his death it was dedicated to him and little about the park has changed since that time. It is a short walk from Muhlenberg, and a very short drive.

The Hike:
Start at the main entrance, which is just down the road from Wegmans. Take the paved path to the left alongside the lagoon. You can spot an egret or two here if you are lucky. As you make your way around the path you will encounter the actual Springhouse that was on Trexler’s estate. If you cross the bridge here you can walk alongside the Little Cedar Creek and eventually you will begin to walk a steep hill that will lead you to the memorial statue of the General and of an incredible vista of Trexler Park and points south. Follow the paved trail to the left and pass through a large Riparian Buffer zone. Be attentive, there are many species of birds easily visible here. The path will return you to the main entrance at the parking lot.

View Muhlenberg to Trexler Park in a larger map
3. Cedar Beach Parkway

CBP is the closest park to Muhlenberg College and I am sure many students, past and present have used its green space for respite. There is a Rose Garden and an Old Fashioned Garden just past Ott Street that are worth a visit to. Make sure to take a stroll around Muhlenberg Lake. There are basketball courts and volleyball pits here as well. This is a great place to take a book to read or bring notes to study.

The Walk:
Behind the parks and recreation office there is a 1.3 mile trail that is often used by walkers and joggers. It includes a complete system of workout devices that challenge the body. It is a quicker walk, but one that is worth taking and it sure can serve as a workout.

View Muhlenberg to Cedar Beach Parkway in a larger map

4. South Mountain Reservoir

On the South Side of Allentown there is a park that is more to the appearance of a nature preserve. There are two large lakes here that you can fish in. There is a great amount of wildlife to witness and it is a great place for tree identification.

Hikes:
The mountainside is littered with trails. They range from average to an easy hard. Wear your hiking boots here though, sneakers and sandals are certainly not going to cut it. Take notice to the stone circles that at one time served as lookouts over the city of Allentown. If you keep an eye out you may see some gneiss rock. Be careful, some of the trails aren’t marked very well but a trip up on the mountain is at all time gorgeous and if you are looking for a quick escape from campus that is a little far away, South Mountain is the place to go.

View Muhlenberg to South Mountain Reservoir in a larger map

5. West Park

This is the first park that was built in the city of Allentown. Both the bandshell and arboretum of trees that were installed there 101 years ago are still there. West Park is a beautiful and timeless place situated in a very urban area. There isn’t much to call a hiking trail here but there are paved paths throughout that allow you to see and identify the different tree types, the war memorials, the classic ornate fountain and the white bandstand.I recommend grabbing lunch from someplace nearby like Kow Thai and eating it here. The ambience of the park will have you coming back for seconds. It’s a great place for a date.

View Muhlenberg to West Park in a larger map

So, fellow Muhlenberg students, this townie turned Muhlenberg Man has laid out for you five great opportunities to burst that famous bubble and steep yourself in the deep, varied, and wonderful park experiences that are easily accessed from campus. This blog has documented almost all of Allentown’s city parks as well as many nature preserves across the Lehigh Valley and some parks in neighboring cities and townships. Check them out too; perhaps you would like to make your own journey.

Welcome or Welcome Back to Allentown.

See Also:
Lehigh Valley In Site

My Plan for Jordan Park

As I explained in my post, Andrew Kleiner and his blog, I sort of stumbled into this park business. I have always been a frequent visitor to the parks but I had never been a reporter on them. There are two specific memories I always revisit when I make my visits. The first is of my father and of being a young kid as wide eyed as the skin on my face would allow at the sight of a dragonfly or a crawfish my dad managed to find in the creek. The second is of a day camp ,that my memory is a little fuzzy on. My parents enlisted me in some sort of summer camp at Cedar Beach where we explored the creek and I can say my love for the science of nature truly began there.

I bring this up in this post because I think that they are both applicable to Jordan Park because of the fact the neither of these experiences is currently available at Jordan Park and they absolutely should be.

No secret has been made of my disdain for the current state of Jordan Park. It is with this post that I will propose what I think should be included in the master plan currently being created for it.

The first thing I would like to see done is the complete removal of the stone walls that currently channel the creek and stretch its width and inflate its depth. Part of this process should include the removal of the bridge/dam that is currently present there. I have posted many photographs and documented the stagnation of water that occurs there due to the bridge. These stone walls outlived their purpose many years ago, it is time for them to go.

Following the removal of the stone edifices, I would like to see the streambanks restored and large spanning riparian buffers installed. Alongside of the buffers, I would like to see signage created that would show park-goers the plants, animals and fish are present in the park. The connection that I made with my father, and with that day camp can slowly start to be made for children in the park with some signs. We need only to point people in the right direction. Some will follow, not all, but it is for the some that follow that the opportunity needs to exist. They will not find it elsewhere.

With whatever stones are salvageable from the removal of the creek walls, a W.P.A memorial should be created in Jordan Park. It could offer a brief history of what was done in Allentown during that time and as there are no other such memorials in our park system; it is something needed to be done.

Through the buffer zone which should stretch from the creek’s edge to the paved path, a trail should be established that would allow people to really explore the wildlife habitat these areas create. It is the chance that by doing this that a moment could be given to someone who without this chance would not have it. Imagine the reaction of kids who grew up in center city Allentown when they see their first Egret? General Trexler will surely crack a smile wherever he is.

Existing recreational facilities can be upgraded but that area of Jordan Park is in far better shape than the area surrounding the creek. Jordan Park could be the example we set for how future parks in Allentown are developed. It is not these renovations that I propose that alone will turn things around in Jordan Park.

Community Centers, YMCAs, Boy Scouts, etc., need to develop programs in the park to really utilize what could be created down there. In an hour we could provide a visitor with a genuine wildlife experience while at the same time exposing them to a history that is fading quickly from general knowledge and needs to be acknowledged.

These brief suggestions barely touch the surface of what is possible in Jordan Park. It was one of our first parks and should serve as a leader again. I have included no pictures in this post but I do encourage you to see Jordan park. Click on the link to the right or, even better, take a journey there yourself. It will probably be the first time you have gone in awhile. As it stands, there isn’t much worth seeing down there but possibility. It's the possibility that makes this park worth it…

Perhaps I can convince my father to go find crayfish there sometime soon but I don’t think we will find many.

The Canal Parks: Hanover Township

I had no idea there was a Canal Park in Hanover Township. I went out in search of Catasaqua Lake. Using Google maps, I found it down the road from Kimmet’s Lock on Dauphin Street just past the Allentown city line. When I pulled into the parking lot I saw that sign.

I realized for the first time that I had discovered a series of “Canal Parks” along the Lehigh starting with Hugh Moore Park and appearing all the way through Northampton. I have offered extensive coverage of Allentown’s Canal Park and I have also posted about Bethlehem’s park on the canal, Sand Island Park. It is my belief that to better understand the current situation at our Canal Park, it is of the utmost importance to visit these other canal parks and as always, I am going to be taking you with me.

This Canal Park begins with an area of pavilions and historical preservation.



There are two signs with species identifications on them that include types of birds and fish seen in the park. I haven’t seen signs like this anywhere in Allentown’s park system and I think they could be a valuable addition to some of our parks, especially the more naturalized ones.

Like Sand Island, there is direct preservation of former canal fixtures in this park. These are not the D and R preservation pieces seen there and at other points along the towpath trail. These are unique to this Canal Park.


To the left of The Locktender’s House a trail is cut through the woods. It is a beautiful walk that follows alongside the empty canal bed and eventually under the rather high Route 22 Bridge.



The trail ends abruptly in what appears to be someone’s backyard. I have too often been trespassing this summer trying to discover things. On my way back I was amazed at the contrast in front of me. I could have been in a any Eastern Pennsylvanian forest but with a slight turn of the head I could see busy Dauphin Street buzzing with cars and activity.

Back in the park, I saw a very familiar Canal Park staple:

The towpath returns.

Here, the towpath follows the still empty Canal on one side and borders Catasaqua Lake on the other. Due to the wet summer that we have been having a very small amount of standing water has developed in parts of the idle canal.

At the end of the lake, the trail splits. One path leads on to the next Canal Park in Northampton and the other loops back around Catasaqua Lake and to the parking lot. I opted to explore this Canal Park further and save the trip to Northampton for another day. The lake is much more like Muhlenberg Lake than Lake Nockamixon. Parts of this park appear very much to be influenced by the presence of wetlands and the shallow lake serves to prove it.

There is a “pier” here. I put pier in quotes because it appears to be a long piece of plastic formed to look like wood anchored by four metal poles. The thing shakes and bends with every footstep and I really did not want to fall in, so it made me a bit nervous to walk on.

There are an abundance of things worth checking out at this Canal Park. It is unparalleled as far as maintenance and preservation go.I am saving a complete comparison until I have visited all of them. Rest assured, the close proximity of this park makes it worth a visit to any Allentonian. I took a lot from my visit to Hanover Township’s Canal Park and with Sand Island behind me I look forward to visiting Northampton and Hugh Moore to really see what is possible and what needs to be avoided concerning the future of our Canal Park.

See Also:
The Canal Parks (Thus Far)

Directions from 15th and Chew in Allentown:

View From Allentown to Canal Park,Hanover Township in a larger map